Individual sections or IS machines have been well known and employed for a number of years in formation of glass containers such as bottles and jars. In general, such machines comprise a plurality of individually operated sections, each of which includes one or more glass-forming molds and air-operated devices for operating the molds and the associated glass feed mechanisms. Molten glass is cut by air-operated shears into individual gobs of preselected size, which are fed by chutes to the individual machine sections. All of the machine operating mechanisms are driven in coordination by a timing camshaft or the like. The glass gob shears are very expensive. Shears having magnesium arms and platinum blades may cost $14,000.00 per pair. It is therefore highly desirable to prevent damage to the shear blades, which may occur if the shears remain closed because of machine failure and molten glass is then directed thereon. It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide electronic apparatus for sensing machine malfunction or failure, and for automatically inhibiting or locking operation of the shears so as to prevent damage thereto.